In this week’s Fellow Spotlight, we are checking in with Sarah Robb. She fills us in on what she enjoys most about Detroit, her host company DTE Energy, and what she enjoys most about being a Challenge Detroit Fellow.

Tell us about living in Detroit. What neighborhood do you live in and what things make it unique and exciting?

I live in Midtown (formerly known as Cass Corridor) which is one of Detroit’s most lively neighborhoods. I like to say I’m on the cusp of Downtown and Midtown because it’s the best way to describe it! I’m located right where the invisible boundaries meet, so we’re in the perfect location. I live in a historic building, it’s known to most as the Addison building. It was a former hotel back in the day that served tourists and businesspeople. It’s a beautiful building and we happen to be right above the Addison Eatery, a local hotspot for brunch! I live with Alison Figliomeni, another fellow who works at Telegration.

I love where we live because I can walk, run or ride anywhere I need to go within minutes. I also love the story about the building and the neighborhood. Our building is owned by a man who saw opportunity in the city when no one else did. Our landlord owns the entire block! When real estate was at its lowest point our landlord purchased property, renovated it, and created spaces in an overlooked neighborhood. He’s been actively engaged with Olympia Development and the team working on the new arena. He understands the dynamic in the community, and actively voices his concerns with the City of Detroit. He also owns several school buildings, theaters, and other rental properties throughout the city. It’s stories like these that make Detroit unique and interesting.

What do you enjoy most about living, working, playing, giving and leading in Detroit?

What we do matters here. I love being part of a community that is engaged and participates in active listening. There are so many opportunities to hear from policy makers, learn about place-based development plans, and get your hands dirty. Detroit is obviously not void of problems. I don’t need to read the news to understand the severity of Detroit’s challenges; I can walk outside my door for that. While Detroit has a long way to go, seeing the progress it’s made in the last 9 months or so makes me excited for what is to come.

Tell us about your host company and your role in the organization.

I work for DTE Energy on the Public Affairs and Major Strategies and Initiatives team. At DTE Energy, we’re on a continuous mission to be a Force For Growth in the communities where we live and serve. Our team is currently developing an integrated strategy to align our decision making and resource allocation process with our internal public affairs functions.

I am doing exactly what I hoped to be doing after I graduated from my Master’s program at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. A year ago today if you asked me what I would be doing, I likely would have responded with a shrug and hopeful wishes that I would be doing something that interests me. I am working on projects that I am passionate about daily with Challenge Detroit and DTE Energy. I have my dream job, and I never thought I would be able to say that within a year of me graduating from SPEA. I am able to apply what I learned in graduate school to my professional work life. I truly enjoy working on projects that impact the community in various ways through education, philanthropy, outreach, community and economic development, and in many ways promoting environmental and community health.

What have you learned from Challenge Detroit so far?

I actually had a hard time answering this question because I’ve learned so much! This year has flown by and I’ve grown wiser in the last 9 months upon moving to Detroit. Detroit and the program have taught me quite a bit. Detroit was a place and the program was an opportunity I wanted to be part of, the puzzle fit. The city taught me that to survive here you have to be resilient and determined. If you want to have an impact on the city and its community you have to make yourself part of it. In a similar fashion, if you want to feel like your ideas matter the work doesn’t stop on Challenge Fridays. To be effective you have to be engaged, to make friends you have to go out of your comfort zone, to know your environment you have to explore. Each of the Challenge Detroit pillars—live, work, play, give and lead— serve as a blueprint for opportunity.

Challenge Detroit taught me that I belong here. I love the fact that I can have an impact here, large or small. The most important thing I’ve learned about Challenge Detroit is the power of good people. I’ve met so many people in the last year that have had a great impact on me through their storytelling.

What kind of impact do you hope to have with your host company and within the city?

I hope to leave a positive impression on those I come in contact with on a daily basis. It’s important that we keep a positive attitude no matter what life throws at us. We have moments that derail us and create internal barriers that prevent us from seeing opportunities. I want people to recognize that I am determined to find a way to make things work out, and inspire others to do the same.

Establishing relationships with people is one of the greatest impacts one can have on a city. Understanding the social and economic dynamics within city boundaries is really fascinating to me, but there’s more to a city than its physical and social infrastructure. People are important, individuals are important. We must not forget that people live here and that there are good people who are working tirelessly to make Detroit a destination.

Being part of development discussions and panels are two examples of how one can learn about what is happening here and how people feel about it. If you want to see some neat stuff, hop in the car and pay a visit! One of the best ways to have an impact is to encourage outsiders to travel here. Seeing is believing. Sharing the cool things that are happening in Detroit generates interest, getting others excited is another way to encourage others to come downtown and see what the buzz is about.

What are you most looking forward to in the final months of Challenge Detroit?

We have two more challenge impact projects left. We’re fortunate enough to work with different groups every time. I’m excited to work with different fellows and nonprofit partners. It’s one thing to see and interact with friends as opposed to working directly with them for five weeks. Each of us has our strengths that we bring to the table, and I’m excited to have a new role and team each time we partner with a different non-profit. Plus, summer is well on its way and the weather always puts me in a good mood!

Also, be sure to check out Sarah’s video to learn more about her time in Detroit, so far.